Israeli army will buy new long-range MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System 1503124

In the face of growing
threats posed by rockets at the disposal of Israel's foes, the Israeli
military will acquire rockets of its own, the Yediot Aharonot daily reported
Wednesday, March 14, 2012. Brig.-Gen. David Suissa, the commander of the
army's Artillery Corps, is promoting the procurement of precision-strike
rockets with ranges of 40 and 150 km, according to the paper's business
section.

While
the Artillery Corps has been operating the American-made M270
Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) since the 1990s, long-
range rockets have largely been absent in the army's arsenal of munitions.
But recent developments in rocket artillery technology have significantly
lowered costs -- just tens of thousands of shekels per unit -- and improved
the accuracy of rockets, making them particularly attractive to the Israeli
army, whose battles are increasingly waged in civilian populated areas.

Military officials have said that rockets could prove useful during the
initial phase of a future Middle East war, which would likely see Israeli
air bases coming under missile and rocket fire.

Israel's Defense Ministry has not yet invited bids but the leading contender
is Israel Military Industries which already produces long-range, GPS-guided
projectiles, mainly for markets abroad.

Other local defense firms, including Israel Aerospace Industries and RAFAEL
Advanced Systems Ltd., are also expected to submit bids, according to
the report.

The Artillery Corps would receive the 40 km-range rockets within months
after an order is placed, while the 150 km-range projectiles would only
be supplied in 2014-2015, the report said.